62,482/250,000

Being a complete sucker for limited edition things, it should come as no surprise to learn that, while I've bought the download of Nine Inch Nails' new album The Slip, I've also now bought the 'real life' edition, limited to 250,000 worldwide. The album didn't really impress me the first time I listened to it... or the second... or the third... but it's one of those that slowly grows on you. Largely, I think the problem for me was that it's very much more Rock'n'Roll than most of NIN's previous output (then again, most of With Teeth could be described as Pop), so it felt underdeveloped... or just plain unfinished.

Listening to it as a new album, without filtering it through my impression of their previous stuff, it actually turned out to be a really good album, with some very infectious tunes (Discipline) and some quite beautiful music (Corona Radiata), and the rest slowly lets the NIN hallmarks blister to the surface as you listen more.

I also got Ghosts I-IV, mainly on the strength of the snippets available on the website, and Trent Reznor's awesome, forboding ambient soundtrack to Quake. Haven't listened to that yet... I have to be in the right mood for instrumental stuff.

While in HMV (yes, I went out for practical shopping and got a little sidetracked, OK? I was supposed to be buying loads of TransFormers stuff this weekend), I took advantage of their 3 for £20 offer and snagged AvP Requiem, 300 and Beowulf, as well as the Batman animated short collection, Gotham Knight.

In the practical shopping column, I picked up some towels (important bathroom furniture I only remembered I was missing every time I washed my hands at the flat), some mugs and glasses, low-energy lightbulbs, a kettle, tea and sugar. Cutlery is in ample supply from my folks, as is china, so I won't need to worry about that for the time being.

My little sojourn today started in Harrow (my bus ride made less pleasant by the large guy who sat next to me and seemed to expect me to occupy only half my seat so he could spread out. I declined), then drifted to Uxbridge (with a rather large temptation to go the other route and seek out Watford Toys'R'Us) before returning to the flat to deposit most of my shopping. Then, since the day was still relatively young (though some shops were closing down for the day), I explored the area a little, popping in on the local confectionary (how cool, to be living near a traditional confectionary!) and a few other shops to complete the practical side of things for the time being.

It appears that the bailiffs have taken note that I am the new owner/occupier, as I have had no further letters addressed to the previous occupant. All well and good.

While I was out and about - having left my cellphone at the flat in my jacket pocket - I had a call from my boss to say that Jake - who was Commercial Manager South before being diagnosed with a rather aggressive brain cancer - had died this morning.

2008 really has been that kind of year... My flat is about the only positive so far.